The Unsafe Haven:Through the Eyes of its Residents
by SicSymmetry
Summary: The slow ascension of Erol into power and the Approaching Day-Star's impacts on the lives of a group of residents living in Haven. They thought themselves freed from the madness via the defeat of Kor, only to be thrown back into the hopeless abyss- with no ideas of whom to blame. How does one cope? How does one live?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Seemingly Peaceful

The holo-screens all around Haven City lit up as the remaining citizens either slowly crept out of their hiding, or lifted themselves from the dusty streets and overhead walkways. It was eerily calm, the chaos from before- the noise; it seemed to all but stop.

"Attention all citizens of Haven," The almost sultry voice of the read-headed woman on the screen spoke, "It should now be safe now to come from hiding and face this bright new day."

Silver-blue eyes opened slowly, but heavy with the weight of pure exhaustion. He heard the voice outside; muffled from behind the boarded windows and door but still recognizable, echoed within his head.

"That's… The Baron's daughter…" He whispered to himself, almost in some kind of shock. He listened for more words to ensure he wasn't losing his mind.

"Today, the long fought war, the reign of fear over this city and the repression of my father has come to an end."

The blue eyed man in hiding slowly and shakily brought himself to his feet, using the wall behind him for support. He pushed his hand back through the accumulated mess of long, dishevelled dark-brown hair to remove it from his eyes and face; he needed to see clearly what was going on outside his walls.  
With an almost painful sigh, he brushed his left hand along the floor in search of something.

"There you are…" He whispered aloud, picking up a pair of thin, black framed glasses. He carefully adjusted them on his nose. He approached the window to his left and pulled back on one of the loose boards, nailed to the wall- the only things between him and the world for the past month. It was removed with ease and he peered out into the Industrial sector of the city- the place he did call home. His eyes widened and eyebrows rose at the sight before him. He thought it nearly impossible. Metal-head corpses lying on the ground- the skull gems dim and lifeless. Any others, twitching and dying; leaving his world and the people he knew in peace. He backed away, mouth open in near disbelief- unable to decide between shock and joy. It was then the new Baroness's voice washed over the city again.

"Today, Metal Korr, the leader of the Metal-heads has fallen at the hands of our hero, Jak." The screen switched to show the face of a young man with blond-green hair and facial hair; dressed in blue with eyes, though a bright shade to match his tunic- filled with something else behind them.

"That's the eco-freak renegade we were all supposed to be fearing for the past six months…" He spoke aloud again to himself, "Something seems… wrong…"

"With Korr dead and my father gone- I have taken over this City- and I refuse to let its Citizens suffer under a dictatorship with the constant threat of war. The people here deserve better. They deserve peace, a chance to pursue dreams, education and their true joys."

With nearly labored breathing, the dishevelled man unlocked his door and stepped outside. This was the first time in nearly a month that his feet had touched the streets outside his home. He looked around himself- and found he was surrounded by others in the same state as he; dirty faces, wracked with lingering fear and disbelief- finally seeing outside of hiding again after so long. He breathed in deep- taking in what felt like new air and a sense of calm washed over him. He stepped forward again, head tilted upward watching the holo-screen and listening intently for what words may follow.

"Starting today- myself and my organization; The Underground, are to begin working toward a new age. A golden era for Haven- to make this City live up to its name… To be a great Haven for its people; a Utopian society- with equal freedom and opportunity for all."

A clamour of sorts began- and cheering could be heard, arising from far away points of the city and spreading like wild-fire all around. A very small smile lifted the corners of the man's mouth- something that hadn't happened in quite some time.

"I am Ashelin; and I will lead you there so this bloodshed and these past atrocities are never witnessed by this society ever again…"

-SIX MONTHS LATER-

The workday was nearly done, the last runs of the early afternoon were just coming in for analysis and a short, blue-eyed young man couldn't be happier. His long hair he'd grown accustomed to pulled back into a loose pony-tail and the thin, black-rimmed glasses neatly shielded by a pair of large safety goggles. A gentle smile was settled on his face surrounded by a healthy amount of stubble. He was at peace, finally, or so he felt. A hand clad in green, fingerless gloves reached out and carefully grabbed one of the vials that had just arrived in the sample drop.

"Hey! Div!" A familiar and rather happy voice called out, "You get that new fuel sample in yet?"

The analyst called Div turned his attention from the sample drop, "Yeah! I think I just got it. Sample number SP-135-00?" He enquired.

"That's the one." The tall man emerged from behind a large console to the far right. He was a dark skinned man with short curly hair and an ever-present smile set on his face, framed by a thick goatee.

"What's it for?" Div asked, turning to face him.

"The new Freedom-League machine parts we were just wired the digi-prints for. They're supposed to be super eco efficient and light-weight for flight capacity." The man, Div's friend placed a hand on his shoulder, "Bet you're pretty excited about that."

"Yeah, sure... But this is the first I'm hearing about it. Wonder if it was my lab that synthesized the new fuel." Div quirked an eyebrow as he watched the colour shift in the vial, "This one seems a lot more dark-eco heavy than blue. That's a little abnormal for our standard flight machines in the FL, don't you think, Jin?"

Jin quirked one thick eyebrow as he looked down at his short, skinny friend and smiled, "I haven't been questioning anything lately with all the advancements that we've been making. Since Ashelin took over and Jak destroyed the Metal-head leader- things have been… well… calm."

"I don't believe we're completely out of the thick yet."

"Man, don't pick now of all times to become a pessimist." Jin laughed. "I have to live with you later- last thing I want is a mopey bro staggering around the apartment. Think about it. You've been given the opportunity to run an analytical lab- utilize your skills and abilities without question and continue to do so without the threat of conscription. Don't you think that's enough to be happy about?"

"I suppose you're right." Div replied as he poured the vial into a two-fifty mL volumetric flask, "What about you? I suppose there's no real point in asking," He smiled, "Are you actually happy- so sure you're secure?"

Jin sighed as he pulled the safety goggles off his face and smiled lightly as he leaned against the counter Div was working on. "I'm pretty sure I'm secure. Couldn't really ask or much more after all- I get to assemble some of the most advanced machines this planet has ever seen… all for the betterment and advancement of my fellow man. And nothing else is really asked of me."

"That doesn't really answer my question." Div chuckled as he pipetted 20 mL of the dilute solution into a beaker, readying it for titration.

"I just want one thing." Jin replied, somewhat serious.

"Oh, the great Jin doth long for something?" Div grinned as he finished the titration and lifted the now transparent, somewhat blue solution to his eyes to examine it. He then walked over the Eco-Spec instrument and prepared a transparasteel cuvet.

"I just want… a woman."

"A what?" Div looked up suddenly, overfilling his cuvet with the titrated solution. Jin laughed at him.

"A lady. You know… those beautiful creatures with the curves, and the skin and the hair… one of those lovely things." Jin chuckled. "C'mon; what about you?"

"N-no…" the analyst blushed slightly as he wiped his cuvet clean, placed it inside the sample holder and closed the lid with a little extra force. He turned to face his mechanic friend who continued to silently mock him.

"What?" Div asked seriously as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Nothing… "Jin chuckled, "Just… ya know, you're lying to me."

"Don't start that bullshit."

"Not bullshit, man. C'mon… don't you be lying to your bro. You know better."

"I'm not!" Div nearly shouted.

"So… what you're telling me is that you have absolutely no interest, at all, in that red-headed Synth-Tech in your lab downstairs… the one you talk about all the time in between game times?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Div grinned as he pulled the print out off of the Eco-Spec and handed it Jin.

"Here. I still say it's weird though… You've got a five-percent volume to volume blue eco in that fuel sample."

Jin took the print out from Div and eyed it, at first trying to make sense of it and then simply shrugging it off, "The new machines will be very efficient."

"Efficient, yes- but definitely not giving off the best emissions in the process. This seems a little odd for our 'Utopian' society, don't you think?" Div asked as he reached for the next sample vial.

"Maybe so… but, maybe it's a temporary thing- maybe they just need the extra sustained power for a new project." Jin replied.

"That seems pretty reasonable. Wonder what the new project is."

"Who knows… maybe we will in the next few days or so though. All that stuff comes through us first considering…"

Jin strapped his goggles back on to his head and headed off toward the assembly line facility.

"I'm gonna go run the programs on the new coms the guys just finished. I'll see you in… "Jin stopped to look down at his wrist communicator, "forty-five?"

"Yeah, about that... Just about done here." Div replied as he started the last run of the afternoon.

"Right. I'll order up some food- and you owe me a few rounds on Metal-Mania tonight. So going to kick your ass later."

"Like hell you will." Div chuckled.

"You watch yo. You watch…" Jin gave him the 'I'm watching you' signals before disappearing down the hallway.

Div stood deep in thought as he prepped the last fuel sample for the final analysis on the liquid chromatograph. As he pulled the right amount of sample up the syringe he watched the swirling iridescence of the mixture inside, he thought to himself how wrong it seemed. After he injected it into the sample loop and set it to run, he leaned back on the counter.

"I must be just paranoid." He spoke aloud, "Nothing could be wrong right now right? Both Korr and Praxis are dead. It's just… The long road to rebuilding now…"

Flashbacks of the beginnings of the war washed over him, nearly taking his breath away. The blood… the screaming… the pain of loss- the one he lost. He closed his eyes and whimpered quietly as it hit him all at once until the familiar popping sound of the valve switch pulled him back to his current reality. He breathed... deeply and turned around to pull the print out off of the integrator. Examining it, he quirked an eyebrow.

"What the hell is this?" He thought looking more closely, "A very, very large peak at 4.452… This is very uncommon…"

He pulled out his com-pad from under the counter and began a search through his files attempting to find the correlating compound for the solutions the lab dealt with. After a few minutes, he found nothing.

"Looks like work comes home with me tonight…" He sighed as he folded up with print-out and placed it neatly in a folder for take home. "This makes no sense… I'll re-run it tomorrow. Sample number SP-137-00…" He placed the sample in the cabinet with a label and left it for the night.

0o0

"Hey… Hope you weren't waiting long." Jin apologized as he slid his white racing coat on over his black muscle shirt.

"Nah. Just about ten minutes or so. What took ya?" Div asked as he wiped his glasses clean with a cloth from his pocket.

"Got a few odd pieces in, and some of the guys were having some issues with the computer programs. Kept blacking out the screens and auto-assembling before we could finish the C.C. tests."

"That's pretty strange. Are things functioning alright now?"

"Yeah… they seem to be. I let them know they can page me if stuff starts acting up again."

"Good… good…" The two began their short walk home.

"So… Did you talk to that red-head in the lab downstairs yet?" Jin chuckled.

"No!" Div replied, somewhat annoyed. Jin laughed at him.

"You had better get on that before someone decides to, ya know, move in on her first."

"Yeah… Sure thing." Div shook his head.

Suddenly, something caught their attention. There was strange, loud buzzing sound coming from above their heads. They stopped under a blinking red light in the industrial sector.

"Are you hearing that?" Jin asked as he began to look above them.

"Yeah… does that sound like… No…" Div stopped dead, the worst thoughts racing through his head.

"Shh... calm down, its fine… just stay low." Jin stated quietly, keeping his eye on the sky.

After a few moments, the buzzing sound grew louder and the shadow of a figure appeared above them. Div backed up against a nearby pillar and Jin took a few steps back. The figure seemed to hover there for a few moments as though it were watching them. The two friends remained silent as they watched it back, careful not to move a muscle. It was then, a loud bang was heard in the distance and figure quickly zoomed off in the opposite direction- disappearing in both sound and visual, and not a moment too soon it seemed.

Both Div and Jin released the breath they held in their instinct to remain completely still and silent. They both faced one another with the same things running through their heads.

"W-was that…?" Jin began, dazed by the thoughts in his head.

"I don't want to say what I thought it was…" Div stated, walking out from under the overpass, "I don't want to think about it."

"You don't think it was a-"Jin was cut off as his communicator went off; it was the facility. He brought it up to his face and clicked the receive button. Div watched intently, expecting the worst.

"Jin here… This better be good." The communicator echoed back with static.

"This is Jin. What's going on?" Still the communicator responded with static.

"What the hell is this-" Div started but was cut off by something finally responding through the static… But what came through was simply more cause for concern.

"J-Jin… The consoles… Auto-assemble and… And…" The voice crackled through.

"Who is this? Who am I talking to? What's happened?" Jin shouted through the communicator.

"K-Krimzon… G…G…" And then the line went dead.

Jin continued to stare down at his communicator in shock. Div approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder knowing what was to come next; sensing that this was going to end very badly. Jin began breathing heavily, his eyes wide and filled with mixed emotions.

"W-we have to go back." He gasped, "W-what the hell is happening?"

"… I have a few ideas… and unfortunately… none of them are good." Div replied, averting his gaze to the ground.

**A/N: Well… I know it's kind of a boring chapter- but I needed a start with a little background and some character development. I am already working on the outline for my second chapter and plan on having it up relatively soon. Due to some of the developments such as some pretty intense violence, angst and possible sexual themes in later chapters- I might change the rating on this. But, for now… this should prove fine.  
I like reviews… they make me happy. Tell me what you think, what you would like to see. It's all appreciated. Thanks a bunch :P**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The First Signs of Destruction

The universe seemed to stand still for an eternity as the two friends attempted to organize their thoughts. The all-too familiar anxiety pulsating through them as implications of the unknown raced through their heads at a million miles a second. The clock was ticking though- and even if it seemed that time were standing still, they knew that they were running out of those precious seconds necessary to determine a course of action.

"We need to go back… now…" Jin began; his voice low and peppered with uncertainty.

"I know… but, what I it's really bad? We don't have any weapons… any training…" Div's mind continued to race.

"I know that! But if we don't do something… Those people; our friends, they could be hurt, or dying."

"You don't think I've realized that?"

"Then why is it so hard to just go? To help them!"

"Because we are no good to anyone if we're dead too!" Div shouted, overwhelmed at this point by the racing conclusions and possibilities in his head.

"That's a risk I just have to take, Div." Jin's voice calmed suddenly, "I couldn't live with that kind of guilt. Standing by… knowing I might have been able to do something."

Div's breathing became unsteady; he closed his eyes in an attempt to regain himself.

"Wouldn't that haunt you?" Jin asked.

"Stop…" Div shuddered, the words barely audible under his breath.

"I just couldn't… I can't stop thinking about what may have already happened." Jin continued, "I should have been there… I couldn't live that way Div. I can't live that way, Div. could you?!"

"Just stop!" Div shouted; his gaze now intense… eyes slightly glazed by what one could only conclude to be tears. Jin attempted to step back but before he could- he found himself grabbed by the front of his shirt and being pulled down to eye-level with Div.

"I already do live with that kind of guilt… so do not begin to ask those kinds of questions of me or yourself." He growled slightly as he let go. Jin was mildly surprised by the abnormal out-lash of his friend and roommate. He felt his body make an attempt to regain itself as though it had been knocked out of its biological balance.

"I won't let that guilt befall me again… or you… This means we do have to go back." Div's voice was deeper, darker than Jin was used to but he still walked toward him.

"I only hope you're ready to face what may be."

Jin kept a straight face as Div turned to look him in the eye. His face was set sternly, something Jin had never seen in his friend before. It frightened him slightly- but intrigued him more. He nodded with a barely audible, "Yes."

"Then… I guess we had better get going."

The two began the short walk back to the facility; a short walk that felt like centuries rather than minutes. Jin was unsure what to make of his friend's behaviour- it frightened him now that he thought he could know a person only to have everything he understood turned upside down and topple about him. What else didn't he know about Div? Should he be afraid of this short, skinny quiet young man who, up until now… was reserved and silently analytical- lacking any interest in any confrontation what-so-ever. The only conclusion Jin could come to was to 'Wait cautiously… and see.'

0o0

Outside the facility appeared relatively normal; nothing they could see seemed outside of an average encounter with the front doors except for one thing- the entire area was deathly silent. No hissing hydraulics, no pneumatic pops sounding from the assembly lines behind the doors- not even the dull hum of blue eco gently buzzing about in the air- the key sign that there was some activity inside. Jin stepped up directly to the front lock console. It, at least, seemed still functional.

"I don't understand. I would have expected to see some damage. It just looks… abandoned. Maybe everyone else got out… I hope…"

"That's very wishful thinking…" Div frowned as he walked up directly beside Jin. He pulled out his identification card and scanned it on the console.

The metal door first gave a click as the internal lock mechanism gave way; this was followed by a hiss of hydraulics releasing and final the sound of smooth engineering- the door split down the middle and slid open to either side. No substantial light escaped the inside- only the dim blue glow of the back-up illuminators was visible- and the eerie silence remained. Jin stepped inside as silently as his heavy work boots would allow on the metal floor. He peeked around the corners of the entry way and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"It's clear…" He signaled to Div who followed in behind him.

"Alright- the first place we'll check is the programming hall- that's where the call came from, right?" Div asked, looking to his friend.

"That should be it."

"Kay… Just be careful… watch your movements, look before every corner and be as quiet as poss-"

There was a sharp clank then, which echoed down the hallway before them. Each of the friends jumped at the sudden sound. It was followed by a sound which could only be described as raw cybernetics in motion- slightly unrefined electronic components working on one another to force movement. Though, raw in sound- fast in its response and motion… and this was terrifying.

"I don't like the sound of that…" Jin stated in a whisper.

"Neither do I." Div agreed taking another step forward- however this step seemed unsure it wanted to face what was inevitably ahead; Jin took note of this.

The two continued down the dimly lit, steel lined hallway into what somewhat felt like it might be the belly of the beast. They stopped at the entrance to a clearing; the programming hall of the facility. There was only one issue- beyond the hall was pitch-black. Not even the back-up illumination reached this area. Jin lifted his communicator toward his face.

"Lights on." He stated simply; a bright-white light flickered on from atop the shape of the communicator. He held it out in front of himself. It applied just enough light for the two to see approximately an eight foot diameter about them.

"Nice… when did you install that?" Div asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"The other night in the Com's hall- new digi-prints." Jin grinned.

"You're a bad kid…" Div shook his head, "Good idea though. Let's check it out."

Jin began a slow and silent walk into the large, open hall. The light bounced off of a few unused pieces of metal plating and parts that still hung from assembly arms- lifeless in nature, adding to the spookiness of the dark facility. None of the holo-screens were on, not even a flicker- and only the dim orange lights of the stand-by signal flickered lightly on the rows of consoles below them. Jin raised an eyebrow, a slightly intrigued look settled on his face. He'd never seen the facility so inactive. He suddenly noted that he hadn't heard from Div over the past few minutes.

"Div?" He questioned aloud, "Where did you-" He stopped.

Looking down he noticed a dark, wet trail on the steel floor in front of him- his left boot was partly settled in it.

"A fuel spill?" He questioned as he knelt down to take a closer look. He dipped his forefinger in the liquid and lifted it to his eyes only to realize what it truly was. His eyes widened and he rose from his kneeling position, possibly too quickly. He lost his balance and fell backward, tripping over something and hitting the floor hard. When he opened his eyes next, he found himself a mere two feet away from half of the face of one of his comrades. He threw himself up off of the floor in a growing frenzy, attempting to run- to clear his head from the image he'd just witnessed, but as he ran, he only noticed the floor becoming laced with more and more blood and dismembered body-parts.

"Div!" He screamed, "Where are you?"

He was brought to a halt when he heard a scream, only a few feet away- easily within reach in only a short distance.

"Div!" He shouted again, running faster toward what he swore was the scream of his friend. Jumbled in the echoes of his own frantic shouting was the recurrence of that raw cybernetic whine- fast reflexed movement inter-laced with the unrefined structure of exposed wires and replicated and fabricated muscle tissue. The sight he stopped upon was one of which he was indefinitely unprepared for.

A man… or at least some part of him was man, however very little. The entirety of his figure made up of shining chrome wire, steel plating and complex yet exposed robotic skeleton. The only features that would lead Jin to conclude it was a man was the stretched skin over about three-quarters of his face and fiery-red hair standing atop its head like some sort of symbolism out of a twisted poetry book. In the end, all that mattered was the fact that whatever it was holding Div by the throat and had him hoisted above its head with a grand and twisted grin plastered across its face. Div's glazed and bloodshot eyes darted to the side, taking note of Jin's presence. The thing's eyes moved slowly in that direction- following Div's gaze; its grin faded, however, only for a short moment.

"I see you brought a friend to play as well- How cute." It mused sadistically.

"Run…" Div managed to choke out through the cyborg's grasp.

"Oh, no-no. Don't run. That will only make it harder on you. It hurts far less if you don't fight it." The cyborg's grin returned, "Besides… you're surrounded anyway."

"Bullshit…" Jin muttered under his breath.

"Oh… Truly now?"

The loud hum of blue eco began to pulse through the building. The lights around the building returned, section by section- reaching the programming hall in only a matter of seconds. The sight revealed in the light brought Jin to his knees. The cyborg dropped Div to allow him to join his friend; He gasped for air and grasped at his throat nearly certain that his windpipe had been crushed. Upon looking up and taking in his surroundings, he choked on the very air he was trying to force into his lungs.

Around the room, cybernetic-bots of all makes and structures- some more raw and others, very complete in appearance. They maintained one thing in common however- all equipped with dangerous looking capabilities and all painted a fantastic shade of red.

"Say hello… To the new Krimzon Guard army- Machines; impervious to pain, pleading or any emotional propulsion at all. Pure, cold and unforgiving metal. Perfection in other terms."

"Wh-wait…" Div breathed out as best he could.

"Hmm…?" The Cyborg's face looked unamused.

"That's those fuels… the dark-eco laden mixtures. Those were you…" Div glared at the cyborg from his supported position on the floor.

"Ah yes… a slip-up on our end I'm afraid…" The Cyborg circled them, "You see… without a proper facility to fully monitor and synchronize the programming, sometimes my little minions follow through on a command too soon. In this case, however, it did not prove to be so detrimental. I mean, you're just coming to this realization now. And once you're dead- no one else will have the slightest clue… Until I want them to."

"What do you want with this place?" Jin asked.

The Cyborg stared him down for a moment to be sure he instilled some sort of fear in his being.

"I thought that was clear." He replied, "Think… a facility with access to large amounts of material- codes and programs to equipment that set to self-assemble based on some easily modified pre-set information. Furthermore, access to a grand eco-synthesis and refining lab just a few floors below. You make the connections."

"This is a well-known facility… People will find out." Jin stated as bravely as he could.

"I have measures in place that will eliminate that threat entirely- starting with the eradication and silencing of every individual with information about this facility- Now tell me, where is the other?" The Cyborg lunged forward, face to face with Jin, eyes narrowed in a challenge.

"What are you talking about?" Div questioned from left of the Cyborg.

"We anticipated your appearance after that little 'mistake'… when that final call managed to slip out, But, my vital-sensor indicates that there are three organic life forms in this facility at this moment- however, my companions and I have been unable to capture the third. Now then… where might they be?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jin stated, face switching from that of serious to confused.

The Cyborg whipped around, giving Jin a metal backhand to the face. He flew across the floor into the console to his far right. Though Jin was relatively tall and built- to the Cyborg- it was as though he were no more than a doll made of cloth and down. Jin managed to recover himself briefly from the blow, lifting himself up slightly only to spit out some blood, feel dizzy and fall back to the ground in an attempt to catch his breath.

Div looked over to his friend across the room- now at a loss as to what to do. Unarmed, and easily outnumbered- he was certain that they would die. He just wished it wouldn't be like this. He looked away, distraught, attempting to conjure up some sort of plan that might at least give them a chance. He was not left long with his thoughts before he felt himself being lifted from the steel floor once more, this time, however, by the front of his shirt. The Cyborg required that he speak this time. He was raised and brought face to face with the mechanized monster- so close he could have felt his breath- if he had needed oxygen at all.

"Where is the third?" He growled; even his one cybernetic eye seeming to flash with some kind of rage.

"There is no third." Div replied.

"There is no use lying to me you little worm. You're not protecting anyone." The Cyborg seethed, "The only thing you're doing is prolonging the pain. Tell you what- I'll cut you a deal. You tell me where the third is… and I'll make your deaths quick and painless. Continue to lie to me- and I torture you both… believe me when I tell you, I do indeed have time."

"I'm telling you the truth. I don't know what you're talking about. We came here alone; just the two of us." Div explained, attempting to reason- but to no avail.

The Cyborg's face grew angrier, "I've no patience for your petty attempts to save your comrades!"

He threw Div across the room into Jin, who had only just managed to sit himself up. Div landed, oddly enough, directly onto Jin's lap- Head smacking into his collar bone and elbow managing to precariously nudge him in the gut- effectively knocking the wind out of him as he was attempting to recover. He coughed and let his head fall back against the console behind him.

"Very well… I can see what fate you've chosen." The monster man began to walk slowly toward the two. His 'companions' seeming to crowd in closer in some sort of artificial excitement. The sound of the machinery around them was almost unbearable. Exposed wires and fabricated connective tissues screaming with electricity and jittering with the anticipation of seeing two more organic forms ripped to shreds at the ends of their blades, and seared by the heat of their exposed motors and moving internal ware.

The Cyborg's massive claw-hand crashed into the console both Div and Jin were backed into- crumpling the metal as though it were tin-foil. The console's electrical components released the last bits of electricity still trying to circulate within its high amperage wiring. He grinned at them manically- overcome with some kind of psychotic joy.

"Just be glad you won't be around to see what I turn this world into…"

It was then, a strange device landed amongst the crowd of maniacal electronics- echoing within the hall as it clanked to a stop on the steel floors. The gaggle of twisted forms moved in closer as if to attempt to examine the device.

"What is-"The Cyborg began.

"OI!" A rather angry, feminine voice echoed from across the room.

Jin and Div looked up, only to be washed over with disbelief. Jin's eyes widened and Div's jaw went slack for a moment.

"Is that… The red-head from the synth-lab?" Jin asked, still dumbfounded.

"… It… It is." Div replied, raising an eyebrow- revealing of his own questions darting about inside his head.

Lo and behold- there she was… the most unexpected person on their list of people who would show up at a time like this. She stood alone in a white lab coat, just beyond a hydraulic steel door holding what appeared to be a mobile- control device.

"Let them go… or I press this here big, shiny red button." She grinned with an almost disturbing amount of satisfaction.

"What is that?" Div squinted trying to decipher exactly what she might have planned.

The red-headed woman quirked an eyebrow, "I kind of feel like finding out- don't you?"

The Cyborg began to make his way toward the door, in a relatively angry fashion. This was let known by the actual crashing of his large, steel feet with each step. The woman took a few cautious steps back, seriousness befalling her features.

"I see how it is." She muttered. She lifted the control and did, indeed press that big red button.

There was a strange 'whirring' sound in the air, as a bright light began to build in the center of the device thrown into the middle of the hoard of macabre electronics.

"Cover your ears!" She shouted. Jin and Div followed her demands without question.

The device finally let loose an electronic shockwave that quickly washed over a large radius around the room. Grand sounds of computers fizzling out filled the room as the flying bots fell from the air- buzzing about in circles like stunned whump-bees. The standing bots slumped over on top of each other in a pile- twitching with misfired program commands and shorted circuitry. Even the Cyborg leader himself slammed both of his hands into the sides of his head- screaming as his own electronic nervous system began to glitch out, scrambling his thoughts and commands to his form.

"Run!" The woman shouted, waving the two in her direction.

Jin and Div didn't think twice before scrambling to their feet. They ran as fast as their confused and bruised bodies would allow as they dodged the fallen electronics and made their way around what was about to be an extremely pissed off Cyborg. They darted past the hydraulic door and into the next, well lit hallway where the red-headed woman waited for them. As soon as the doors were crossed- she hit the console to the right and the doors slammed shut and locked.

"We don't have much time. We have to get out of here… and as far away from the area as possible." She stated as she began a quick jog down the hallway.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Div shouted.

"Working a little overtime! Got a problem with that, boss?" She replied.

"Some damn good overtime it is! This woman deserves a raise!" Jin shouted as he ran up between them.

"No; but really?" Div questioned seriously.

"I didn't like the look of the new fuel solutions we were ordered to make. They seemed outside of or standard scheme. I wanted to stay behind and try to do some more analysis." She replied.

"Did you find anything?" Jin asked.

"Not in the way of fuels." She stated, "I just started extracting another sample from the reactor when the power went out. I was the only one left in the Synth-Lab so I decided to go down a few more levels to see if I could fix the breaker."

"And?" Div urged.

"That's when I found out the facility was crawling with these machines." She stopped, "We're close to the exit now. Just down this way and on the left…"

"I stole that device from the new products lab, one more floor down. It was a prototype- I'm glad it worked."

They stopped running, all out of breath. The woman swiped her card on the side console and the doors slid open revealing an elevator. The three piled inside and the doors closed. She swiped her card again.

"Top floor exit." She commanded.

"Top floor- exit hall." The computerized voice repeated back to them.

"According to the specs on the prototype-"She started.

"What was that by-the-way?" Jin asked, very interested.

"Portable EMP generator." She stated, "We have another three minutes before they all reconfigure- and are they ever going to be mad-" She was cut off by a loud bang that seemed to echo up the elevator shaft, creating much turbulence within their small travelling compartment.

"Looks like those specs were wrong. I hope you guys re ready to run… or we're going to roast." She stated, "Increase speed!"

"Speed capacity reached- cannot increase velocity safely." The computerized voice replied.

"Over-ride safety barriers." Div commanded. Jin and the red-head looked at him questioningly.

"Voice signature recognized. Safety barriers dissolved. Warning- velocity increase in three, two, one."

The elevator shot up suddenly, knocking all three of its passengers off their feet. It was only a matter of seconds before the elevator finally came to complete stop, doors flying open letting them outside. Div looked around, questioning in his eyes.

"Why are we on the docking tower?" He asked.

"Machines are guarding the main-floor exit where you two came in. This elevator is shielded from the electronic mapping systems- it's an escape route in case of terrorist attacks- you should remember all of this from basic training!" The woman shouted, "Now get into the transport. We need to get the hell out of here!"

A loud explosion was heard, and then another. Div looked down over the edge and noted great orange flames, growing brighter from the bottom of the facility.

"What the hell is going on?" He shouted as he stepped back away from the edge. The floor beneath his feet began to tremble.

"Th-they're hijacking the facility… They're stealing the entire plant?" Jin asked, panicked.

"Yes! The little fuckin' weasel bots have been in the basement constructing rockets for days- our reactor fuel shortage- I found out where it was leaking to."

Div's eyes widened as the ground shook harder, and the light grew brighter.

"Get in here- we need to go now!" The woman shouted.

Div turned around, prying his eyes away from what was happening and ran to the transport vessel, boarding the ramp and sitting next to Jin. The door closed and the jets fired. In no more than a minute, they were off the transport pad and zooming away- leaving the facility far behind. Div watched as the entire plant tower lifted vertically off the ground and began to rise above the city-scape, leaving a great cloud of dust and debris in its wake.

"They'll come looking for us now- you know…" The woman spoke-up, "We've seen his face. We know what happened here- we won't ever be safe now."

Div scanned her face; the show of determination and bravery in the facility obviously wore on her. He could nearly describe her pierced lips as hanging- as though they lacked the strength now to hold themselves in form.

He looked back outside the transport window, they cloud of dust trailing over the city, and the only thing left of the facility- an empty space now where it once stood. He frowned before he noted a whimper from behind him. He turned to see who it was. There was Jin, with his face in his hand and the red-headed woman from the lab resting her hand and her head on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Div sat down next to his friend and placed his forehead on the taller man's arm and closed his eyes as he too made an attempt to hide his emotions during this time.

This could be far worse than he thought…

**A/N: Whew… that was a nice long chapter. I'm on a roll :P  
I'm surprised, this is actually turning out better than I had expected- seeing as it's been so long since I've applied myself like this. Kind of angsty… but I think I've captured our favorite psychopath relatively well… Reviews- reviews are love! I need love **


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